UberEats defended its pay scheme, arguing that the majority of its couriers used delivery work to supplement existing incomes.

“Last week couriers using our app in cities across the UK took home an average of £9-10 per hour during mealtimes, with many also using other delivery apps,” the firm said in a statement.

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Image caption
Protesters have been demonstrating outside a McDonald’s restaurant in south London

“The fact that UberEats drivers have decided to strike on the same day as us shows that low pay is an issue that affects people across the industry,” said a spokesman from the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU).

Workers at JD Wetherspoon, McDonald’s and TGI Fridays want to be paid £10 an hour.

McDonald’s said support for the union among its staff was “diminishing” and “any suggestion that this activity is widespread and growing is not accurate”.

JD Wetherspoon has previously said it had announced pay rises worth £20m last year and £27m for this year.

TGI Fridays had no immediate comment.

What do union leaders say?

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady told the BBC’s Today programme that the strike was “small but growing”.

She said some modern hospitality employers and technology firms were “using a very old form of exploitation”.

“We need the public and communities to support us,” she said. “We are seeing growing public concern.”

She said the firms could afford to award a pay rise “and should”.

Where will strikes take place?

Strikes by UberEats drivers will be held between 5pm and 6pm in London, Bristol, Brighton, Newcastle, Plymouth, Southampton, Glasgow and Cardiff, according to the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) union.

Workers at two Wetherspoon pubs in Brighton are expected to strike, BFAWU said.

They will be joined by workers from McDonald’s outlets in London, Cambridge and Watford, and TGI Fridays staff in Milton Keynes and two London branches.

A rally will also be held in London later.

The strikes are being held to coincide with industrial action over pay by fast food workers in Chile, Colombia, the US, Belgium, Italy, Germany, the Philippines and Japan on Thursday.